After the Empire
by Salacassera
Summary: FF2 story. 10 months after the game, Maria and Gus go to Kas'ion, Leila and Firion are stranded on the Tropical Island, and Ultima must be resealed.


After The Empire  
  
Disclaimer: This story is based on the version of Final Fantasy 2 that came out in FF Origins (not Final Fantasy 4), so I'm using those names, not the accepted translations. I don't own Final Fantasy 2 or any of its characters. It all belongs to Square-Enix.   
  
Ten months had gone by since the defeat of the wicked emperor of Palamecia, and things had certainly settled down since then, although many people were still in the process of rebuilding their towns and their lives, full of hope for a brighter future.  
  
The ones who had defeated the evil tyrant were hailed as heroes throughout the land, but they weren't powerful knights or noble soldiers - just four young people. Sitting in her room overlooking Fynn's busy town square, Maria wished people would realize that.   
  
At first, she had enjoyed the attention. Now it just made her frustrated. She hardly ever saw her friends anymore - except for Gus, who was working nearby, helping to rebuild houses in Altair. Firion was sailing the oceans with Leila and her crew. Before leaving from Paloom's port, Leila had asked her if she wanted to join them. Maria politely refused, saying that she preferred to keep her feet on solid ground, but now she wished she had gone.  
  
With a sigh, she fetched her wicker shopping basket from its hook by the door and left the safety of her apartment.  
  
It was noon by the time she finished her shopping, and by then she was more than ready to go home. She looked up in time to see a man on a chocobo ride into the town square. Chocobos had once been common among the upper classes, but most of the farms that bred them had been destroyed in the war. Now the only ones left were the wild ones who lived in the forests near Kas'ion.  
  
Maria wasn't surprised to see that the rider was Gordon, former prince of Kas'ion. He recognized her and nudged the chocobo closer.  
  
"This is a pleasant surprise," she told him, stroking the bird's headfeathers. "What brings you here?"  
  
She was elated to see one of her old friends. Somewhere deep inside, she wanted to hear that he had come to see her.  
  
"I'm here to talk with Hilda," Gordon replied. "Is something wrong?" he asked, noticing the look of disappointment that passed over her face.   
  
"Nothing," she said quickly. "What have you been up to lately?"  
  
"It's beginning to rain," Gordon remarked, looking up at the sky. "Why don't you come back to the castle with me?"  
  
Maria gladly accepted his offer, and she walked beside the chocobo as they headed to the castle. Gordon went to put his chocobo in a stable for the night. Maria was no stranger to the place, but she felt strangely shy about entering the castle alone.   
  
She was debating whether to wait for Gordon or to enter by herself, when the door suddenly swung open by itself. Maria turned and saw that it was Molly.   
  
"Maria! It's so nice to see you!" she cried. "Where have you been?"  
  
"I live in the village," Maria said as Molly led her up to the throne room.   
  
"I never knew that! Why didn't you ever visit?"  
  
Maria admitted that the idea had never occurred to her. Hilda seemed pleased to see her, also. She sprang off the throne and greeted her warmly.  
  
"Gordon will be here in a few minutes," Maria said. "He went to shelter his chocobo."  
  
"I had no idea he was coming to visit," Hilda said, frowning suddenly. "No matter - we were just about to have dinner. Join us."  
  
Maria followed them down to the main hall. Gordon came in a few minutes later, slightly out of breath.  
  
"Sorry I'm late," he said, sinking into a chair.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" Hilda demanded.  
  
"I did," Gordon replied. "I sent a letter...about a week ago."  
  
"You didn't." Hilda said.   
  
"I didn't? I remember - "  
  
Noting the young monarch's confusion, Molly quickly started a new conversation.   
  
Both Fynn and Kas'ion had suffered greatly during the war, but while Fynn was recovering steadily under Hilda's expert supervision, Kas'ion was a wreck. Most of its population had been killed, and very few structures were still standing. Gordon, in a fit of desperation, had come to ask Hilda for advice.  
  
Maria listened as they talked back and forth during the meal. Hilda and Gordon left immediately after, and Molly showed Maria up to one of the castle's guest rooms. The small showers of the afternoon had grown, and she fell asleep to the sound of raindrops smashing violently against the windows.  
  
  
  
Maria slept late the next morning, which was unusual for her. She was awakened by someone banging loudly on the door with both fists.  
  
"Who is it?" she asked groggily, rolling out of bed. But then she recognized the knock. "Gus? I'll be out in a minute."  
  
Maria quickly threw her clothes on and went out into the hallway. She hugged her old friend warmly.  
  
"Gus!"  
  
"I stop at your house, but you're not there." he said. "I ask, they say you come here."  
  
Maria felt a sudden rush of affection for her friend. She beamed at him as they walked downstairs together. The weather had greatly improved since the day before, so they walked around the castle's outside grounds, talking about what had happened since they last met.   
  
"Have you heard from Firion lately?" Maria asked. Gus shook his head.  
  
"How about Leon?" she asked. "Have you been able to locate him yet?"  
  
Although she tried not to show it, Maria was still very worried about her brother. None of them had seen him since that fateful day after beating the Emperor, and she still didn't understand why he had left in the first place. Firion told her not to worry, and that Leon would come back to them once he sorted everything out in his mind, but the fact that no one had heard from him since then made her nervous.  
  
So she had gone behind Firion's back, asking Pavel, Gus, and Leila individually to keep their eyes and ears open, and tell her if they found anything.  
  
"No news," Gus admitted. "I am sure he is all right, though."  
  
He pronounced each word slowly, making sure to get it right. Maria smiled slightly. "Well, it's almost noon already. Let's go see what Gordon and Hilda are up to."  
  
They walked at a leisurely pace back to the main entrance, but met up with Gordon at the chocobo stables.   
  
"Where are you going?" Maria asked curiously.  
  
"Back to Kas'ion," he replied. "I should never have come here. Hilda is right."  
  
"Fight," Gus said, nodding sagely. Maria turned to look at him.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"It's nothing," Gordon said. "I guess I asked Hilda one too many questions. I should never have come here - she's busy with her own problems, she doesn't need to deal with mine. But she didn't have to..."  
  
He winced, then mounted the chocobo swiftly, and rode off. Maria ran after him, shouting. "Hey, aren't you even going to say goodbye?"  
  
He stopped. "I'm sorry. I had no call to be so rude to you."  
  
"No worry," Gus said. "I hear there is rebuilding to be done. Can I come with you?"  
  
"Gus!" Maria cried.   
  
"I came here to visit you," Gus said. "But also to find new job."  
  
"Oh." Maria frowned. "I might as well go with you, too. To be honest, I was starting to get lonely."  
  
"We can take airship." Gus said happily. "I will ask Pavel."  
  
He ran off. Once he was gone, Maria turned to Gordon. "What did Hilda say?"  
  
"I told you - she got angry at me for asking so many questions."  
  
"That can't have been all," Maria said.  
  
"If Scott were here, this wouldn't have happened," Gordon admitted. "Scott would have no trouble handling the country. He wouldn't have to start badgering his neighbors for every little thing. He would be calm and reliable in times of crisis."  
  
The bitterness of his voice gave Maria a slight shock.   
  
"You sound like you hate him," she said. Gordon winced.  
  
"He's dead," he reminded her. "And it's my fault. I left him to - "  
  
"Now, don't start that back up again." Maria said sharply. "What's done is done. Let's go meet Gus."  
  
"What am I supposed to do with the chocobo?"  
  
"That's the spirit."  
  
"I can't believe this," Firion said to Leila simply, as they stood on the beach of the Tropical Island, gazing upon the broken and shattered remains of their ship. "I just can't believe this! What was that thing?!"  
  
Leila shook her fist at the water. "I wish I knew. That knave wrecked my ship!"  
  
"Well, for now, we're stranded, Cap'n." one of the crew members piped up. "Stuck on a deserted island..."  
  
"Stop it." Leila snapped. "And this island isn't deserted, there's natives living here."  
  
"Oh, great! Cannibals!"  
  
Leila silenced them all with a frosty glare. "The next one I hear spouting that kind of rubbish goes straight in the water!" she snapped. Then she turned to Firion. "And you'd better put a bandage on your head before your brains start spilling out. Whatever were you thinking, charging that beast with your sword?"  
  
They had been on their way back to Paloom, when the storm began brewing. Leila had tried sailing to Bafsk so they could spend the night in the safety of their port, but then the sea monster appeared.  
  
Firion shuddered at the thought of it - huge, slimy, and a mouth full of gigantic fangs. At first, he had thought it was Leviathan, but then it had smacked the ship with one of its seven tentacles, and the ship had been sent flying. When he saw it coming straight for Leila, who was frantically trying to keep her ship afloat, Firion had pulled out his sword and rushed the thing, purely out of instinct. He didn't remember what happened next, but he had just woken up half an hour ago, with a wicked headache and a deep gash on his forehead. Leila had washed the wound out with sea water, which, although it stung horribly, had nice anti-septic properties.  
  
Now she bound it up with some ripped strips of sail canvas, thinking aloud.  
  
"I guess we're lucky to be alive," she said, and several crew members loitering nearby nodded in agreement. "And it's not like we're going to starve to death - this island is a place of plenty if I've ever seen one! But...I don't know about you, but I don't want to be stuck here for the rest of my life, either."  
  
"Calm down," Firion said. "There has to be a solution. We just need to think of it."  
  
Leila knew her friend was right. They racked their brains for a while, coming up with several ideas that would never work, and then she lapsed into thoughts about the last time she had been to the island.  
  
"We needed to get the Black Mask to unseal Ultima, remember? Then we went to Mysidia to - "  
  
"I've got it!" Firion cried suddenly.   
  
"Got what?" Leila demanded.  
  
"The solution!" Firion explained. "I'll use my Warp spell to - wait, that won't work either."  
  
"What were you about to say?" Leila asked curiously.  
  
"I was going to warp us all to Bafsk." Firion said sheepishly. "But I can't possibly take so many people."  
  
"Just take yourself, then." Leila said. "Go and get help for us. We'll be safe until then, I'm sure."  
  
Everyone agreed that it was a good plan, and in a few minutes, the young hero had teleported off.  
  
  
  
Maria sat next to Gordon in silence, as they flew to Kas'ion. Gus was looking out the windows, delighted as usual by the spectacle of being so high above.   
  
Her mind was troubled. She and Leon had always gotten along well. Sure, they had a little disagreement once in a while, but the bitterness in Gordon's voice when he spoke of his deceased brother frightened her. She turned to him.  
  
"Did you and Hilda know each other since you were kids?" she asked.  
  
Apparently, Gordon had also been lost in thought, for it took him a moment to register the question. "Hilda? Yes...Fynn and Kas'ion have been allies for hundreds of years. Why?"  
  
"Nothing. I was just wondering." She looked out the window, and her friend sank back into his own thoughts. They were dropped off in front of Castle Kas'ion an hour later.  
  
Maria knew that Castle Kas'ion was hundreds of years old, but she had never seen it before the Empire got to it. It looked almost the same as she remembered.  
  
"It's getting late now, but I'll tell you what we need to do tomorrow." Gordon said, leading them up past the altar where the Sunfire still burned. Maria agreed readily. It had been a long day, and she was tired.  
  
Maria didn't sleep well that night. Gordon had installed her in Scott's former chamber. She lay awake, staring at the beautiful Mythril sword hanging on the wall. When she finally did fall asleep, she had a nightmare involving Leon. She woke up just after dawn, soaked in sweat, and decided to just start the day.  
  
Gus was already awake, happy and eager to get started. Gordon was nowhere in sight. They sat and watched the sun rise, waiting for him. When he finally walked down the stairs, it was obvious he hadn't gotten much rest, either. Maria turned to greet him, but Gus rushed forward to catch him before he fainted.  
  
Firion arrived at Bafsk safely, but as usual, the spell left him feeling drained, and his head began to throb even worse than before. He headed for the inn, planning to sit down for a few minutes and see if he'd feel better, but took two steps into town before falling face-first onto the cobblestone street.  
  
People standing nearby rushed to his aid, carrying his limp body to the inn, wondering what was up with all of the mysterious strangers lately.  
  
A few months beforehand, another mysterious stranger had appeared, dressed in black robes. He set up residence in a small shack on the outskirts of town and kept to himself. The only reason anyone had any dealings with him at all was because he has a fantastic healer. People with horrorific farm injuries or desperately ill children would stagger into his house and come out an hour later, good as new. Oddly, the man never asked for payment, and if it was offered to him, he refused. His voice sounded vaguely familiar to them.When Firion was still unconscious after an hour passed, they brought him to this strange man.  
  
Like usual, the little hut looked deserted, with the door and windows securely closed. The only sign of habitation was the small herb garden growing in the backyard. The villagers stood around anxiously as the innkeeper rapped on the door. A few minutes passed, and there was no answer. Just as the good citizens of Bafsk were about to leave, the door was flung open, and Healer appeared, dressed as usual in his black attire. He approached the innkeeper to take a closer look at his patient, and took a step back in surprise. Then he grabbed Firion stalked back into his house, slamming the door.  
  
When Firion woke, he was lying on a grass mat on the dirt floor. Healer's hut consisted of a single room,dimly lit with a few stragetically placed candles. There was a small blaze in the fireplace, making the air oppressively warm. It smelled strongly of crushed herbs and flowers.  
  
The Healer was standing by the door, watching Firion closely. Firion got up easily, the pounding in his skull completely gone. Healer took several steps back when he approached him.  
  
"What's wrong?" Firion demanded.  
  
"Firion? Are you...really Firion?"  
  
"I guess so," Firion said with a shrug, but as he was talking, Healer cast off his robes, revealing himself to be a young man that Firion knew very well.  
  
"Leon!" he cried in shock. "I don't believe it! What are you doing here?"  
  
The former Healer led him outside through the back door, out into the sunshine. He took several deep breaths.  
  
"Those herbs really get to you after a while," he said. Firion nodded in agreement.  
  
"Maria was worried sick about you," he said.  
  
"After we defeated the Emperor in Pandemonium, I felt horrible. I knew I needed to atone for my sins," Leon explained. "So I came back here and became a healer. I was planning to move on to Salamand in another month or two."  
  
"Come back with me," Firion urged. "I'm sure you've atoned enough by now - whatever that means."  
  
"But...don't you remember what I did?" Leon cried.  
  
"That was because of that evil Emperor and his mind control." Firion said. Leon buried his head in his hands and didn't reply. "...Wasn't it?"  
  
"When Fynn was attacked, we got separated, remember? The Empire's soldiers found me and stopped me from dying, and then brought me in front of the Emperor himself. He took out this strange gemstone. It was clear, about the size of a fist. He told me to look into it... while I stared at it, he started telling me how I was born for something greater than being a peasant, and how I could excel and become powerful in his army. That stone made me ambitious... I agreed! Now don't you see why I need to atone?"  
  
"Don't worry, we forgive you." Firion said, patting Leon's shoulder awkwardly. He looked up and noticed several villagers standing by the fence, straining to listen to their conversation. Then he remembered the object of his visit.  
  
"I almost forgot!" he exclaimed, jumping up and whacking himself in the forehead, then wincing. "Leila and her crew are stranded on the Tropical Island - I came here to get help."  
  
Leon went back into his small cottage to gather up his few possessions. When he emerged, the villagers all goggled at him.  
  
"You look just like that Black Knight who enslaved us to build the Dreadnought!" one of them cried.  
  
"He's my brother," Leon lied quickly.  
  
"Oh, okay." the people all went back to their work. Then Firion and Leila hurried off to Paloom to find a ship.  
  
  
  
News of Gordon's illness spread quickly through the remnants of Kas'ion and to Fynn. Hilda walked into the main hall of her castle one morning and found Molly and Pavel talking about it.  
  
"What are you talking about?" she demanded, after listening a few minutes. "What's wrong with him?"  
  
"I'm not sure," Molly said pensively. "Apparently he, Gus and Maria were about to get busy rebuilding some villages and he collapsed."  
  
"He didn't look too good when he was here," Pavel commented. "He was shaking like a leaf."  
  
"And that thing with the letter," Molly reminded them.  
  
Normally, Hilda would have told them to stop gossiping. "Whatever it is, do you think it's serious?" she asked anxiously.  
  
"I guess so," Pavel said with a shrug. "That was a week ago, and he's been out ever since."  
  
Hilda thought about it for a moment. Then she turned to Pavel. "I'm going to Kas'ion." she said decisively.  
  
"But..."  
  
"There's still so much to do here..."  
  
"The morning he left, we had an argument and I said some inexcusable things." she explained. "If he were to die, and I never apologized..."  
  
"I doubt it'll come to that," Pavel said.  
  
"And if he's unconscious now, he'd probably die without waking up." Molly added.  
  
"I'd just feel better if I went to Kas'ion."   
  
Pavel recognized defeat when he saw it. "Sure, I'll go prepare the airship," he said, and ran off. Hilda turned to Molly.   
  
"Tell the Chancellor to keep an eye on things while I'm gone. I'm sure you won't have any problems."  
  
"Have a good trip," Molly replied.  
  
"Thank you." That said, she hurried off to join Pavel.  
  
Leon and Firion arrived in Paloom early the next morning. The place was already alive with the usual bustle of a busy port town. They had no trouble finding a ship willing to take them to the Tropical Island. All of the regulars recognized Firion immediately, from his numerous journeys to and from Poft, and more recently, from his trips with Leila.  
  
"What took you so long?!" she greeted him, when Firion waved to her from the ship's deck. Within an hour, they were heading back to Paloom.  
  
Leila was visibly upset. "What's wrong?" Firion asked.  
  
"I don't have a ship anymore!" she cried. "What kind of pirate am I without one?"  
  
"I guess you'll have to buy a new one," Firion said.  
  
"You don't buy ships!" Leila snapped. "You build them...or steal them!"  
  
"That last one isn't an option," Firion said firmly.  
  
They had no choice but to stay at Paloom.  
  
The atmosphere at Castle Kas'ion was decidedly gloomy - Gordon was still comatose, with no sign of waking. In the meantime, Gus and Maria had nothing to do but mill around the upper stories. They had already explored the decrepit old castle from dungeons to attic, several times. The fact that it was raining again didn't help.  
  
Gus was currently staring out a window, with such rapt attention that Maria just had to ask.  
  
"What're you looking at?"  
  
"Airship coming," Gus said, pointing.  
  
Maria crossed over to the window to look. "Oh! It must be Hilda!" she exclaimed. Together, they ran out to greet her.  
  
"I'm glad to see you again," Maria said, once the airship landed and Hilda and Pavel were safely on the ground. "But why are you here?"  
  
"I must see Gordon," Hilda said breathlessly.  
  
"He's not in a condition to see anybody," Maria said.  
  
"I know - that's why I need to see him!"  
  
Maria was about to argue, but instead she just sighed and led them into the castle. Needless to say, he wasn't doing any better than before. If anything, he was worse - thinner, and his face was a pale grey. Hilda stood there and stared at him for a few minutes. Then she turned to Pavel.  
  
"Isn't there anything we can do?" she cried. "I can't bear to see him like this."  
  
"Well..." Pavel thought for a moment. "Lately, I've been hearing lots of good stuff about a healer in Bafsk..."  
  
"Why don't you go have a little chat with him?" Maria suggested. "I'll stay here and watch after Gordon while you're gone."  
  
"Sounds good to me," Pavel said, and the others headed back to the airship.  
  
  
  
Leila, Firion and Leon spent their ample time in Paloom's busy pub. It was constantly full of every kind of seafarer - mostly merchants, a fair scattering of pirates, and even a few fishermen. Leila glared at them all enviously. Firion and Leon were busy discussing their plans for the future when the door swung in. Everyone turned their heads and stared at the figures who entered, openmouthed.   
  
"H-Hilda!" Firion exclaimed. "What are you doing in a place like this?"  
  
Gus was too busy staring back to answer. "Leon!" he cried, hardly believing his eyes.  
  
Highly aware that every single eye in the establishment was upon them, Leon shrank back in embarrassment. Hilda got to the point.  
  
"Firion, have you heard about Gordon?" she demanded.  
  
"We've been hearing rumors," Leila replied. "Is it true he's - "  
  
Pavel nodded. "Did you also hear about that healer in Bafsk? We went there looking for him, but the locals said he moved on here. We figured that if we were going to find him, this would be the place to start. Know anything?"  
  
"That would be me," Leon admitted. Hilda took a closer look at him.  
  
"You're the Black Knight!" she exclaimed, taking a step back.  
  
"Maria's brother," Firion corrected firmly.  
  
"Let's get going." Leila said impatiently. "Say...are we going to take that cool airship?"  
  
Pavel laughed, and they left.  
  
When Maria saw Firion and Leila, she was delighted, but when Leon walked into the room, she flung herself on him, shrieking.   
  
"Leon! Leon! You're okay! I was so worried about you!"  
  
"I missed you, too," Leon admitted awkwardly. "Firion, stop laughing at me!"  
  
Once the happy reunion was finished, Maria led her brother to where Gordon was. It didn't take long for him to come up with a diagnosis. "Nerves," he announced, after two minutes.  
  
"What kind of illness is that?" Pavel demanded.  
  
"A long period of nervous strain can do this to some people," Leon explained. "There doesn't seem to be anything else wrong with him."  
  
"Makes sense," Gus remarked, nodding solemnly.   
  
"He always had a nervous temperament," Hilda said slowly.  
  
"That's nice," Pavel said. "But what're we going to do about it?"  
  
"He'll snap out of it eventually," Leon said. "But there's no telling how long that may take."  
  
"So what should we do?" Pavel repeated.  
  
"There's a potion called the Jolt Tonic," Leon said. "It's so powerful that it's said it woke the prince of an ancient elf kingdom from an evil curse. They still make it in Mysidia."  
  
"So now we're going to Mysidia?" Leila asked, before Pavel could get the chance.  
  
"That sounds about right," Leon replied. "We'd better take him with us."  
  
Pavel threw the unconscious young man over his shoulder as they went out.  
  
Mysidia, the fabled city of mages, was located on the far west continent, isolated from the rest of the world. It was very rare for them to get foreign visitors, but thanks to their skilled oracles and fortune tellers, they knew exactly what went on outside their gates. The place was famous for its Black and White mages, who could cast spells of mass destruction or amazing healing power respectively.  
  
The first thing the group noticed as they entered was a marble statue of a White Mage that now stood in the center of town. Firion read the small plaque embedded in its base.  
  
"Mindu, liberator of Ultima, rests here."   
  
"Is Mindu buried under that thing?" Pavel asked.  
  
"I guess so," Maria said. "Why?"  
  
"He lived in Fynn most of his life, but this was his homeland." a voice from behind them said suddenly. They turned around to see a resident Black Mage approaching them.  
  
"Who're you?" Leila demanded.  
  
"A former collegue," the newcomer replied. "It was a very dishonorable thing you did, not bringing back his body."  
  
"But...it dissolved!" Maria argued.  
  
"Either way, I'm glad to see you here now." said the mage. "Disturbing things have been happening around here as of late."  
  
"What kind of things?" Firion asked, but before the mage could answer, Hilda pointed to Gordon significantly.  
  
"Oh! Is that the new king of Kas'ion?" the mage asked.  
  
"We need some Jolt Tonic," Leon said. The mage nodded wisely.  
  
"That sounds correct," he said. "I think I'm fairly skilled at brewing potions. Come to my home in two days, and it shall be waiting for you."  
  
"Thanks! We'll be at the inn until then." Firion said, but the mage shook his head.  
  
"What is it?" Maria asked.  
  
"There have been...rumors," the mage said evasively.  
  
"Come on, out with it." Pavel said.  
  
"Guests at the inn have been seeing ghosts!" the mage exclaimed. "I haven't seen it myself, though."  
  
"I don't know about the rest of you, but ghosts don't scare me." Pavel said. "Let's go."  
  
They thanked their new friend again, and left.  
  
  
  
The Innkeeper, who was suffering from a lack of customers for obvious reasons, almost danced with joy when Firion walked in with his crew.  
  
"Eight people!" he cried gleefully, counting the Gil Firion handed him. "Thank you!"  
  
Pavel laid Gordon on one of the beds. "What do you know about the ghost?" he asked.  
  
"There is none," the Innkeeper said quickly. "Don't listen to those stories. They're from people trying to ruin my business."  
  
"You must not get much anyway, being in such an out-of-the-way place," Leila commented.  
  
"Getting late," Gus piped up, with a tremendous yawn. "See you in the morning."  
  
  
  
Later that night, Firion was wakened by someone whispering his name. He sat up and blinked groggily.  
  
"Who's there?" he whispered back. Getting no answer, he got out of bed and looked around.  
  
"Firion...Firion..." a the voice replied. He looked up sharply, just in time to see a familiar, luminescent figure descend the staircase.  
  
"Mindu!" he cried, much louder than he intended. Everyone else woke up, and the figure disappeared.  
  
"What's wrong?" Maria asked, her voice full of concern."Did you have a nightmare?"  
  
"I...saw Mindu..."   
  
"Impossible!" Hilda exclaimed.  
  
"No..." Gus said slowly, exchanging a meaningful glance with Firion and Maria, who automatically knew what he meant. After defeating the Emperor, they had seen Mindu, Josef, Cid and Gareth, but for only a brief moment.  
  
"It must've been a hallucination," Pavel decided finally. Firion was forced to agree.  
  
  
  
The spirit didn't make an appearance the next night, or the night after. Firion, Leon and Hilda went to fetch the Jolt Tonic, but Leon realized something important.  
  
"That mage never told us where he lived!" he exclaimed.  
  
"What should we do?" Hilda asked. "I don't want to knock on every single door until we find him."  
  
"He didn't give us his name, either." Firion said."So we can't ask anyone for help."  
  
Luckily for them, the mage in question was milling around Mindu's statue. He saw them and walked over.  
  
"I realized I didn't tell you those things right after you left for the inn," he said apologetically, but he made no move to tell them now. "Follow me."  
  
He led them to a small, neatly-kept cottage in the corner of town, with a square flower garden in front. It was equally nice inside, with a brightly colored rug on the floor. The mage crossed over to a cabinet and took out a glass bottle of green liquid.  
  
"This is it," he said, handing it to Firion.  
  
"Thank you for doing this," Hilda said with great feeling. "You will be repaid handsomely."  
  
"Don't worry about that," the mage said quickly.  
  
"But why not?" Hilda was perplexed. "You just did a great favor to both Fynn and Kas'ion."  
  
The mage shuffled his feet awkwardly. Leon took mercy on him.  
  
"Let's get this to Gordon," he said. "We'll be back later."  
  
  
  
They hurried back to the inn, where they found everyone clustered around Gordon's bed.  
  
"About time!" Pavel exclaimed loudly. "What took you so long?"  
  
Firion was about to point out that they had only been gone five minutes, but Leon quickly pried the unconscious man's mouth open and dumped some of the potion down his throat. Gordon woke within seconds, and looked around groggily.  
  
"What happened? Where is this? What are you all doing here?"  
  
Hilda explained the situation.  
  
"Mysidia?" Gordon asked, startled. "Why?"  
  
"To wake you," Maria said. "Don't tell me you didn't realize you were in a coma all week!"  
  
"I was? I honestly didn't know," he replied. "It feels like I just fell asleep."  
  
"We should go return this," Leon said, holding up the still half-full bottle.  
  
"Maybe we're supposed to use that in case Gordon has a relapse," Maria said.  
  
"The ingredients for this potion are very expensive," Leon said. "I'm still puzzled as to why he gave it to us for free."  
  
After a quick debate, they decided it would be morally wrong to keep it, and headed back to the mage's house.  
  
"Please keep it," the mage said when they presented him with the bottle. "I want you to have it."  
  
"Are you sure?" Leon asked. "I'd feel like I was scamming you."  
  
"Please...it was the least I could do." the mage was obviously flustered.  
  
"Least you could do? You just met us," Firion said. "You sound like you're hiding something."  
  
There was a long silence. Then the mage sighed wearily. "I might as well tell you everything," he said. "Mindu was a childhood friend of mine. We went to school together...all mages get the same basic training, and split up afterwards. I became a Black Mage, and he became White. We didn't see much of each other after that. But I lied when I said I told you that I didn't see the ghost. He appeared to me the night before you arrived, saying I was to help you in any way I could."  
  
"But...why is Mindu back as a ghost in the first place?" Maria asked.  
  
"I wish I knew," the mage replied sadly. "He faded out before I could ask."  
  
Firion and his friends returned the inn with heavy hearts.  
  
Firion found it impossible to sleep that night. He tried everything from staring at the ceiling to counting sheep, but none of it helped. He decided to take a walk outside, carefully making his way to the door to keep from waking any of his friends, who were all sleeping like stones.  
  
It was a cool, clear night, and he could see the stars twinkling above his head. Firion leaned against Mindu's statue, letting his thoughts drift to the White Mage.  
  
Mindu had been a very mysterious person, an enigma to even those he lived with, but he had possessed a good heart despite his sinister appearance. He was the one who revived Firion and his friends after the Empire's brutal first attack on Fynn, and the fact that he had chosen the path of a healer and not a war mage was also significant.  
  
"Firion."  
  
The voice came from somewhere behind him, giving him a gigantic shock. "Who's there?" he demanded. He saw no one.  
  
"If you don't show yourself, I'm going back inside!" he called out.   
  
"Firion...I need your help." Mindu's spirit suddenly materialized in front of him. "I won't be able to rest until Ultima is sealed again."  
  
"What do you expect me to do?" Firion asked, after a long pause. "Why not go to one of the mages living here? It killed you to unseal it, so how would I have a chance?"  
  
"You proved yourself by being able to cast the spell in the first place," Mindu replied.  
  
"But there are lots of mages more powerful than me," Firion argued. "Why am I the only one?"  
  
"White magic relies on your spirit. In order for your spells to be effective, you need to have a high amount. You have more spirit than anyone else I've ever seen."  
  
"Thank you," Firion said, uncertain as to whether that was a compliment. Then the apparition began to fade.  
  
"Wait!" Firion exclaimed. "You didn't tell me how to - "  
  
Just then, Maria came running out of the inn, accompanied by Hilda. "What's going on out here?" she asked.  
  
"Mindu!" Hilda cried. "Don't leave yet! Mindu!"  
  
But the White Mage soon vanished, leaving behind nothing but empty space. By now, the others had been awakened by the commotion, as well as a few nearby townspeople. They all demanded to know what was happening, but Firion's mage friend pushed his way over, perfectly calm.  
  
"What did he say?" he asked.  
  
"He told me that I need to seal the Ultima Scroll for him," Firion replied. "But he didn't say how."  
  
He looked at the mage hopefully, but the Black Mage shook his head.   
  
"I don't know," he said. "Only a very accomplished White Mage can do it. But don't worry - I'm sure the Elder will know. Or maybe we can find something in the library."  
  
"I wouldn't call myself 'accomplished,'" Firion said doubtfully. "I've only been using magic for a little over a year."  
  
"We'll see," is all the mage said, before he started walking back to his house.  
  
Hilda ran back into the inn, unnoticed during the scene outside. She sat on her bed, her head in her hands. She looked up when she heard the door open and saw Gordon walk in, wearing a concerned expression.  
  
"Hilda!" he exclaimed. "What's wrong?"  
  
"It's Mindu," Hilda said between sniffles. "I didn't realize how much I missed him."  
  
Gordon nodded. It had been a stupid question in the first place. He knew that Mindu had been like a parent to the young princess while she was growing up and her father was busy trying to run his country. He had also been a trusted giver of advice, which had been especially important in the time right before his death.  
  
"I know," Gordon said lamely, breaking an awkward silence. He flinched, expecting a scathing reply, but it never came.  
  
"I'm sorry," she said instead.  
  
"What for?"  
  
"For the awful things I said to you before." Hilda replied. "I didn't have a chance to apologize to you sooner."  
  
"But you were right!" Gordon protested. "I've been thinking...I should try to be more like Scott. He certainly wouldn't have let things get to him like I did."  
  
"That's exactly it! You're not Scott. You've got your own way of doing things...he had his share of flaws, too."  
  
They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes, before Firion and the rest of the crew poured in, speculating loudly about their visit to the Elder in the morning.  
  
The Elder of Mysidia was a strange little man, twice as old as anyone else living in the town, and ancient before the second oldest person was even born. No one knew his real name - he was simply known to one and all as the Elder.  
  
He was famous for his wisdom, but he usually only saw people for an hour each day. Firion and the others had to schedule an appointment with him for a week later, and then they were told that only Firion could see him, because the Elder didn't like crowds.  
  
On the day of the meeting, the mage showed up to bring him to the Elder's house early, even before the inn opened for business. Firion's friends had nothing to do but kill time and wait for him to return.  
  
Maria, Leon and Gus browsed the shops. Maria looked for some new Black magic spells to add to her inventory, and Leon checked out the exotic potion ingredients. Gus purchased an enchanted axe that was supposed to melt through stone. Gordon and Hilda were together in the library, talking like the old friends they were about everything from their childhoods to strengthening economic ties between Kas'ion and Fynn.  
  
Pavel and Leila decided to go see a fortune teller. They stepped out of her tent half an hour later, looking severely shaken, but refused to tell anyone what they had been told. They all returned to the inn by nightfall, yet Firion still wasn't there. Maria wanted to wait for him, but everyone else went straight to bed.  
  
Firion walked in the next morning, just as the sun was beginning to rise.  
  
"How'd it go?" Pavel demanded, rubbing his eyes blearily.  
  
"The Elder arranged for a ship to take us to the Tower of Mysidia," Firion explained. "We need to meet them at noon."  
  
"Will we have to fight those elemental Gigases again?" Maria asked.  
  
"I don't think so," Firion replied with a yawn. "But the regular monsters will be there."  
  
"You'd better get some rest first," Leon said as Firion yawned again. He quickly agreed.  
  
They met the ship as scheduled, after stocking up on Ether, potions and the usual items. Firion thought that Leila would enjoy being at sea again, but instead she stared down into the water nervously.  
  
"Firion?" she finally asked, a few minutes later.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Will that Leviathan thing come back for us?"  
  
"No...we don't have a Crystal Rod."  
  
She looked doubtful, so he tried to reassure her. She was about to ask another question, but didn't have time to because they arrived at the Tower.  
  
The trip to the top of the Tower was uneventful, except for an encounter with Imps where Gus became Muddled and starting chasing after Hilda and Maria with his new axe.  
  
Firion immediately began reciting the incantation the Elder had taught him the night before. The reason Firion had been gone for so long was because the Elder refused to write it down for him, and he ended up having to memorize it instead. It was the others' job to keep the monsters away from him.  
  
Fifteen minutes passed before Firion finished the spell. There was a bright flash of light that filled the whole room, blinding human and monster alike.  
  
Firion fell to the floor. The task had robbed him of all energy. Pavel was the first to recover from his blindness. He ran over to him.  
  
"Firion! You okay?"  
  
He got no response. Leon examined him quickly.   
  
"Well? What's wrong with him?" Leila asked, getting back to her feet and pushing a dead Vampirette off of her.   
  
"Exhaustion," Leon replied. "Let's get him to the inn."  
  
Maria cast Banish several times to speed up the descent. Then they hurried back to Mysidia.  
  
When they arrived, there was a big crowd of mages waiting for them, all demanding eagerly to know how their mission had gone. Pavel cleared a path through them, and Leon carried Firion. They ran into their mage friend, who gave a cry of dismay.  
  
"Is he all right?" he asked, following them anxiously. "Did you suceed?"  
  
"I think so," Gordon said, in response to both questions. Leon nodded.  
  
"He'll be fine," he said. "Don't worry about him."  
  
Firion woke three days later, feeling slightly disoriented. There was a big heap of cards and flowers from happy mages at the foot of his bed. He moved to take a closer look at them. The door swung open and the mage walked in.  
  
"You have our undying appreciation." he said. "Mindu is finally at rest, and I'm sure he's very proud of you."  
  
"Do you think so?"  
  
"I know it."  
  
There was a long silence. As the mage got up to leave, Firion realized something. "You never told us your name! Who are you?"  
  
The mage turned to look at him for a moment, but passed back through the door without replying.  
  
The group spent two more days in the city, but it became apparent that they would have to, once again, split and go their separate ways. Hilda and Pavel returned to Fynn, and Gordon headed back to Kas'ion, with Maria, Gus and Leon. Leila traveled to Paloom to look into purchasing a new ship, and to meet up with her crew. Firion decided to go with her. All of them agreed to keep in touch. It had certainly been an eventful month.  
  
The End. 


End file.
